Marshall Center Fights Transnational Crime with 104 Participants from 53 Nations

Photo By Karlheinz Wedhorn | GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany – Professor Joe Vann, program director of the Countering Transnational Organized Crime, introduces Gregory T. Gatjanis, associate director for Global Targeting at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, before his presentation on the new realities of transnational organized crime threats to national and international security during the program on CTOC July 16 at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies here. (DOD photo by Karl-Heinz Wedhorn/RELEASED)  

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, BAYERN, GERMANY

08.01.2019

Courtesy Story

George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies

By Emma Bareihs
Public Affairs Office
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany – Security professionals from 53 countries will be able to act swiftly and effectively on transnational criminal organizations after their participation in the Program on Countering Transnational Organized Crime at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, said Member of Parliament Rushton Paray from Trinidad and Tobago.

“When you’re dealing with international criminal organizations, they’re not going to wait on you,” Paray said. “Through the Marshall Center alumni network, we have access to resources that allows us to take swift and effective action in combating transnational crime.”

Held twice a year, the CTOC resident course focuses on 21st century national security threats as a result of transnational organized crime. During the four-week program, 104 participants from 53 countries were educated on fighting transnational criminal threats here July 10 to Aug.1.
In this program, participants studied the best strategic practices for incorporating government institutions and international approaches in the fight against these modern day national security threats.

“The focus of the CTOC program is on strategy development to enable government professionals to be more effective in countering the activities of transnational criminal organizations,” Program Director and Marshall Center Professor Joe Vann said.

Paray believes this course provided maturity on the subject of transnational crime to the participants, beneficial to take back to their own countries.

“We can go back to our governments and be more mature in supporting one another in giving our national security agencies the power to protect our countries,” Paray said.

“It’s very important that we come to the Marshall Center to be trained in things we are going through, to get this knowledge, so we can implement it,” said participant Dr. Polina Chyzh, senior specialist from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.

“Now, when we go through tough times, we can resist pressure, we can stay strong and stay alive, and that is because of the support and the background we have with us,” she said.

Participants came from the Ministry of Interior and International Security, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Justice and law enforcement agencies, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, military, and other international organizations.

“It’s most important that we understand we are not alone in this fight. When we understand that we have the same goal and the same will to fight organized crime, we know that we will win,” Chyzh said.

• Date Taken: 08.01.2019
• Date Posted: 08.01.2019 04:18
• Story ID: 334008
• Location: GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, BAYERN, DE